Could a female be as heroic as a male character in Greek tragedy?

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Could a female be as heroic as a male character in Greek tragedy?  Illustrate your argument from at least 3 different plays studied.

Both ancient Greek literature and the mythology it originated from are dominated by male protagonists encompassing the ‘heroic’ status.  The earliest and perhaps most significant examples of this can be seen in the epics attributed to Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey.  In the Iliad we are presented with Achilles, a Greek warrior most noted for his strength in battle and quest for kleos; In the Odyssey we have Odysseus, a warrior nonetheless, yet who relies on metis and piety to succeed.  Both can be defined as ‘heroic’ in the sense that their positive attributes and strengths are almost godlike, yet they have flaws which are distinctly human.  This notion can be seen in tragedy; indeed, a tragic hero is often defined by his error in judgement or action.  The question of whether a female can be deemed truly heroic within the tragic genre is a complex one: women in the ancient society were born into subordinance, and had little role or significance outside of the home; yet, in tragedy, females were often written as major and complicated characters whose actions determine the outcome of the play.  For the purpose of this essay, I will primarily focus my attention on Aeschylus’ Agamemnon, Euripides’ Medea, and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, written in c. 458, 431, and 430BC respectively.

               Ancient Greek society at this time was, for the most part, defined by distinct social roles.  Whilst men dominated politics and engaged in public events in the wider polis, a woman remained in the home, under the submission of her husband with whom she was expected to produce heirs.   This order of things at the very least ensured stability of both the polis and oikos.  Unsurprisingly, as within society itself, women within literature were often defined by the roles expected of her, with dire consequences should she ever reject these roles.  Clytemnestra is perhaps one of the most infamous female characters throughout Greek tragedy.  Her status in Agamemnon as villainess might at first glance be justified – she abandons her feminine role of wife and mother and violently slays her husband and his young concubine, apparently out of jealousy.  And yet, we must also acknowledge that to an extent, her violent tendencies were only expressed when her role as wife was at threat: by bringing young and beautiful Cassandra into the family home, Agamemnon inadvertently forces his wife out of the role she was accustomed to.  Medea’s own speech seems relevant here, when she too finds herself cast aside by her husband: ‘Women are weak and timid in most matters.  The noise of war, the glint of steel, makes her a coward.  But hurt her marriage and there’s no bloodier spirit.’ (Medea 262-5)

        It is the Watchman, stationed on the palace roof who first introduces us to Clytemnestra: ‘...in whose woman’s heart a man-like will breeds hope.’ (Ag. 10-11)  This straight away suggests, albeit subtly, she is a woman with the potential to express independent, masculine characteristics.   Nevertheless, her life is shaped by the choices her husband makes; she is constantly at his mercy.  Perhaps Agamemnon’s cruellest act is the sacrifice of their only daughter Iphigenia in order to win the war at Troy.  In doing so he hopes to strengthen the male domain of the polis, without much thought to how this would disrupt Clytemnestra’s domain of the oikos.  By taking Cassandra as a war prize, Agamemnon adds further insult to injury, ultimately leading to his own downfall.  Shomit Dutta attempts to somewhat justify Clytemnestra’s violent act of revenge: ‘Aeschylus thus gives her a double motive for her actions: as a mother, she seeks to avenge the death of Iphigenia; as a wife, she seeks to punish Agamemnon for taking a mistress.’ (2004, 7)  

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        It might certainly seem reasonable, then, to suggest that the violent slaying of her husband holds heroic implications.  Agamemnon is by all means, an unpleasant character – not only for sacrificing his own daughter, but from the little time he spends onstage, he could easily be described as arrogant.  We are told by the Chorus of his virtuous nature, and yet towards Clytemnestra, he shows nothing but contempt.  We must therefore consider whether his death is justified, and whether Clytemnestra herself deserves the title of ‘heroine’ which has frequently been debated.   According to Aristotle, the best type of tragic ...

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